33 Filipinos face drug cases in Brazil, Suriname since 2003

MANILA, Philippines - A total of 33 Filipinos have been arrested for being involved in drug smuggling cases in Brazil and Suriname since 2003, the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) reported Wednesday.

According to DDB Chairman Vicente Sotto III, the information was provided by the Philippine envoy in Brazil, Ambassador Teresita V.G. Barsana, who is also the concurrent envoy to Colombia and Suriname.

Sotto said that 23 of the Filipinos were arrested in Brazil while the other 10 in Suriname – six of whom are permanent residents of Brazil while the others are tourists and contract workers. Of those arrested, 19 were women and 14 men.

He said that one was arrested in 2003, another in 2004, five in 2006, another five in 2007, 18 in 2008, and three in 2009. Most of them were reportedly arrested for attempting to smuggle cocaine, while the others for possessing the prohibited substance.

The amount of cocaine retrieved from the Filipinos ranged from 460 grams to 69.2 kilograms.

Sotto said that 15 of the cases are still undergoing trial, while 18 of the suspects have already been sentenced by the lower court – four of whom have appealed.

Brazil and Suriname are countries both located in South America. - GMANews.TV

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